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Ostomy: Adapting to life after colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy
Learn all you can about life with an ostomy. Use this information to boost your self-esteem and help you adapt to your ostomy.
By Mayo Clinic staffIt takes time to become comfortable with an ostomy — a surgically created opening in your abdomen that allows waste or urine to leave your body. Many questions may run through your mind as you plan your first ventures outside of your home. Can you go back to work after colostomy? Can you ride your bike if you have an ileostomy? Will everyone figure out you've had urostomy surgery, or can you keep it a secret?
You can do many of the same activities you enjoyed before your colostomy or other ostomy surgery.
You can eat whatever you want if you have an ostomy
Have a favorite dish? If you've been given the OK from your doctor to resume your regular diet, eat what you like. If you have a colostomy or ileostomy, you'll find that various foods affect your digestive tract differently. Just as some foods gave you gas before your surgery, you'll likely experience gas with certain foods now that you have an ostomy. While you may choose to eat gas-causing foods sparingly or only at times when the gas won't make you self-conscious — such as when you're at home, rather than at work — it doesn't mean you shouldn't ever eat gas-causing foods.
Certain foods are more likely to cause gas, diarrhea, constipation, incomplete digestion or urine odor. But which ones have these effects on you will depend on your own body. If you're unsure how foods will affect you, consider trying them at home, one at a time, before eating them with a group of friends. Understanding how each food affects your digestion means you'll spend less time worrying about the food's effects and more time having fun with your friends.
| Common intestinal reactions to certain foods | |
|---|---|
| Gas | Beans, beer, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carbonated beverages, cauliflower, onions |
| Incomplete digestion | Cabbage, celery, coconut, corn, dried fruit, green peppers, lettuce, mushrooms, nuts, peas, pineapple, popcorn, raw vegetables, seeds, skins from fruits and vegetables |
| Thickened stool | Applesauce, bananas, cheese, pasta, rice, peanut butter (creamy), potato (without skin), tapioca |
| Thinned stool | Grape juice, high-sugar foods, prune juice, spicy foods |
| Increased odor | Alcohol, asparagus, eggs, fish, garlic, onions |
| Reduced odor | Buttermilk, yogurt |
Source: American Dietetic Association, 2009, United Ostomy Associations of America, 2005
If you have a urostomy, you might be concerned about urine odor. Certain foods can cause a stronger urine odor, but you can minimize that by drinking water or cranberry juice.
| Controlling urine odor | |
|---|---|
| Increases odor | Asparagus, onions, garlic, fish |
| Decreases odor | Eight to 10 glasses of water, cranberry juice or other noncaffeinated beverages daily |
Source: United Ostomy Associations of America, 2005
You can participate in sports if you have an ostomy
Unless your favorite hobby is a contact sport with lots of potential for injury, you'll be free to go back to the activities you enjoy after you heal from ostomy surgery. The only danger is injury to the opening where waste or urine leaves your body (stoma), which means rough sports may be out. But if you want to continue these pursuits, ask your doctor or ostomy nurse about special products you can use and precautions you can take to protect your stoma during these activities.
Check with your doctor before you begin lifting weights after your surgery. You may need to wait for your surgical incision to heal before lifting weights, to reduce your risk of complications. Once you're fully healed, your doctor or an ostomy nurse might recommend a device to support your abdomen when lifting weights.
If you're nervous that running, swimming or other athletic activity will loosen your ostomy bag and cause a leak, use a special belt or binder to hold your ostomy bag in place. Check with your local medical supply store or look online for specialty products for active people with ostomies.
You can go back to work if you have an ostomy
You'll need time after your surgery to heal and recover, but you can eventually go back to work. You might choose to ease back into work or talk with your employer about a more limited schedule until you feel more confident with your ostomy. If your line of work involves manual labor or lots of lifting, your doctor may recommend ways to keep your stoma protected on the job.
Consider going back to work once you're feeling well. If you're nervous about caring for your ostomy at work, talk to your doctor or an ostomy nurse. Don't let your nerves get the best of you. Going back to work is a good way to transition back to a normal routine, and working again can make you feel good about yourself.
You can tell — or not tell — whomever you want about your ostomy
It's up to you to decide who to tell about your ostomy surgery. It may make sense to tell the people closest to you. These people may be worried about your recovery, and explaining your ostomy to them may ease their fears. Talking with loved ones is also a healthy way to cope with your emotions.
Acquaintances may be curious about why you've been out of work or know that you were in the hospital and ask about your illness. Think ahead about what to say when questions arise. You could say you've had abdominal surgery or use another basic description without going into details if you're uncomfortable discussing your ostomy with people you don't know well.
Other people will need to know about your ostomy for practical purposes. If you don't have a desk or locker at work to store extra ostomy supplies, for instance, you might need to reveal some details of your ostomy to someone at work so that such arrangements can be made.
Some people keep their ostomy surgery private, and others prefer to tell anyone who asks. Who you tell is up to you, but you may find you're more willing to discuss the details as you become more comfortable caring for your ostomy.
Next page(1 of 2)
- Frequently asked questions following ostomy surgery. United Ostomy Associations of America, Inc. http://www.uoaa.org/ostomy_info/faq.shtml. Accessed July 8, 2009.
- Colostomy foods recommended. ADA Nutrition Care Manual. http://nutritioncaremanual.org/index.cfm?Page=Meal_Plans&topic=14299&headingid=14312#14312. Accessed July 8, 2009.
- Brewer B, et al. Diet & Nutrition Guide. United Ostomy Associations of America, Inc. http://www.uoaa.org/ostomy_info/pubs/uoa_diet_nutrition_en.pdf. Accessed July 8, 2009.
- Ileostomy foods recommended. ADA Nutrition Care Manual. http://nutritioncaremanual.org/index.cfm?Page=Meal_Plans&topic=14229&headingid=14242#14242. Accessed July 8, 2009.
- Ostomy. American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons. http://www.fascrs.org/patient/treatment_and_screenings/ostomy/. Accessed July 7, 2009.
- Urostomy: A guide. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6x_Urostomy.asp. Accessed July 8, 2009.
- Turnbull GB. Intimacy, sexuality and an ostomy. United Ostomy Associations of America, Inc. http://www.uoaa.org/ostomy_info/pubs/uoa_sexuality_en.pdf. Accessed July 8, 2009.
